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All you need to know about Red Bull District Ride
Red Bull District Ride returns in 2026, taking freeride mountain biking to the streets of Groningen. A rare urban contest where creativity, control and line choice decide everything.
When Red Bull District Ride returns in 2026, it does so with a reputation that no other urban freeride event can touch. For the first time ever, the world’s most progressive mountain bike street contest rolls into Groningen in the Netherlands, promising a brand-new course, huge creative freedom and a truly stacked rider list.
01
What is Red Bull District Ride?
Groningen will host the 2026 edition of Red Bull District Ride
© Rutger Pauw/Red Bull Content Pool
Red Bull District Ride is an urban freeride mountain bike competition that challenges riders to interpret a custom-built city course in their own way.
There's no fixed line and no prescribed approach. Riders link stair sets, drops, wallrides and purpose-built features across an entire district, choosing how and where to ride. Judging focuses on difficulty, style, creativity and overall impression.
It's this freedom that sets District Ride apart from traditional contests.
The format also brings together different riding backgrounds. Slopestyle specialists, freeriders and riders with a street focus all compete on equal terms, often producing unexpected approaches and standout moments.
Need something more visual to get an idea of what to expect? Then watch the video in the player below:
1 min
Red Bull District Ride comes to the Netherlands
Red Bull District Ride comes to the Netherlands
02
What will the Red Bull District Ride 2026 course look like?
As the name of the event suggests, the course will be split into districts that will cover different parts of Groningen's city centre. The most recent editions have featured five districts, each packed with its own distinct features and obstacles, offering competitors variety and the best conditions to send different tricks.
However, the track for 2026 is still being designed in collaboration with the riders, so we'll have to wait to find out exactly how it will shape up against this new city backdrop. We'll reveal full details here as soon as we have them, but for now, take a look at some of the key features in each district from the last edition:
Castle District
© Red Bull
Box District
© Red Bull
Quarter District
© Red Bull
Dirt District
© Red Bull
Big Air District
© Red Bull
03
How will Red Bull District Ride be judged?
Riders are judged across multiple runs, with their best performances counting towards the final score.
Judges look for:
- Difficulty of tricks and features
- Creativity and originality of lines
- Flow and control
- Overall impression
There is no single winning formula. That is what makes District Ride so hard to master and so compelling to watch.
04
Who's riding at Red Bull District RIde?
The line-up is still being confirmed, but it will consist of the highest-ranked athletes from the FMB World Tour, who'll be invited to take part, alongside a number of exciting wildcards. As the only Diamond-level event in Europe on the calendar of the new FMB Slopestyle Super League, expect the very biggest names.
Patricia Druwen scopes out the setting for Red Bull District Ride 2026
© Rutger Pauw/Red Bull Content Pool
I'm super-excited that there's a women’s comp … it will mean a lot for the progression of our riding
This year, history is also being made as, for the first time ever, there will be a full women's competition. After the impressive action at the women’s progression session in 2022 in Nuremberg, now is clearly the time.
Germany's Patricia Druwen commented: "I'm super-excited that there's a women’s comp. We've never had the opportunity to be able to be part of the competition. It means a lot, and it will mean a lot for the progression of our riding."
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How to watch Red Bull District Ride live
If you're not able to get to central Groningen yourself, you can tune in to watch finals day live on Red Bull TV on Saturday, July 25.
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06
Who are the key riders from Red Bull District Ride history?
With seven previous competitions and a status as one of the original urban mountain bike slopestyle competitions, Red Bull District Ride has plenty of history.
Here's every event winner so far:
Since winning in 2005, Aaron Chase has been involved with the course design
© Daniel Grund/Red Bull Content Pool
Paul Basagoitia took the victory in Sicily in 2006
© Scott Markewitz/Red Bull Content Pool
Freeride legend Cam McCaul won in Nuremburg in 2006
© John Gibson/Red Bull Content Pool
Sam Pilgrim triumphed when District Ride returned in 2011
© Bartek Wolinski/Red Bull Content Pool
The first-ever edition took place in 2005, with Nuremberg hosting. The winner of the first title was Aaron Chase of the United States, who's since appeared several times as a course designer and judge at the event. The event then ran twice in 2006. Firstly in Catania, Italy, where Paul Basagoitia took the win underneath Mt Etna, with a then-17-year-old Andreu Lacondeguy named as best rookie for finishing second. Then later in the year more than 40,000 spectators descended on Nuremberg's old town once more to see American Cam McCaul win the title.
Then there was a wait of five long years for the next edition of the contest. The 2011 event was broadcast via livestream for the first time, with UK rider Sam Pilgrim winning. Another break followed before the fourth edition of the Red Bull District Ride in 2014 that saw a close run battle between Canadians Brandon Semenuk and Brett Rheeder for the title, with Semenuk edging the scores with a 0.83-point advantage over Rheeder.
5 min
Red Bull District Ride 2014: Highlights
The best of the action from Red Bull District Ride 2014.
The 2017 edition was marked by some amazing tricks, including a world first by American Nicholi Rogatkin, who pulled off a 1440 on the final big air jump. That trick was critical to Rogatkin taking the title that year, too.
2 min
Best of Red Bull District Ride
Catch all the highlights from the Red Bull District Ride 2017 urban slopestyle MTB contest.
Last time out for Red Bull District Ride was 2022 when the entirely untouchable Emil Johansson unseated defending champion Rogatkin, who finished third, and pipped home favourite Erik Fedko for the win.
21 min
Watch the Top 3 runs from Red Bull District Ride 2022
Watch the three best runs from Red Bull District Ride 2022 in Nuremberg, Germany.
